Tankers, rivers main sources in Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh

A resident of Baksha village in Banda defied her disability and moved slowly towards the tanker to fetch water. Speaking to India Today TV, Ramvati said: "Wells, ponds and hand-pumps have dried up due to the soaring heat. The tankers are the only source of getting water. It's difficult to walk due to my disability but without water, survival is extremely difficult."

Another villager Kali walks for 3 km everyday to the Ken River along with other family members with utensils for water. "Ken River is the only source of water for many villagers and walking everyday in such scorching heat is a struggle. There is no arrangement of water for cattle and we take them to the same river.

Politicians and administrative officials come to the village and promise us to resolve the water crisis but the situation is deteriorating every year." In Banda district, the sand mafias have destroyed the flow of water and have ended the river stream.

Police have been deployed in many villages on the banks of Ken River after removing illegal farming and encroachment. They are camping there to avoid any law and order issue as some clashes were reported earlier.

Additional SP of Banda district Lal Bharat Pal said: "We have cleared encroachment in many areas on the river banks. All police stations have been directed to ensure that illegal work is not carried out in the 43-km stretch and police are deployed in shifts."

Meanwhile, in many villages of Hamirpur, successive droughts and perpetual water scarcity have made it difficult for men to find brides.

"The girls of the village have moved out after marriage but people from other villages are not willing to get their daughters married fearing that they would be stuck fetching water from far away for the rest of their lives," said 35-year-old Ramesh of Maudaha village.

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